On Trend

Marketing with Technology

by Lisa Gunderson, Bristol Development

Fast forward through the pandemic to bring us to the rapid deployment of virtual touring and selfguided experiences, our industry is embracing technology in new ways. Successful marketing begins with understanding the customer journey, which encompasses several touch points with technology.

Our primary source of potential resident traffic is our website. We have to ensure that content is fresh, relevant, and in a format everyone can enjoy using. Recently we deployed a remote self-guided tour experience, allowing prospective residents to visit us after hours and without a staff member using biometrics and identification confirmation to enable remote access with an encrypted one-time use code.

Once inside the model home, we have a smart home solution deployed, allowing the resident to control temperature, lock, and lighting with an in-wall tablet or remotely from their phone with an app. We also see savings with this platform as it allows us to control those variables once a unit is vacated remotely. We talk about this in terms of energy conservation and time management.

In the same model, we deployed a voice-activated smart home device and incorporated that in the tour process as it works with the platform to turn things off and on or ask related marketing questions, for example, about upcoming events in the area.

I could spend hours on this topic, but the highlight is to make technology a marketing tool by making it seamless for potential residents to interface with it.

It’s the Law, cont. from p. 5 Step 4: Pictures are Worth…Saving Thousands in Fines

Perhaps one of the best and easiest ways to stay social media-compliant is by showing diversity in the images you post. Add images to your community and social media websites that include individuals of different races, people with disabilities or a variety of ages, or families with and without children. It is important for people of protected classes to know that should they choose your community, they will be treated as they should be – fairly and equally!

Step 5: Say It with Words

The best advice for anyone posting to social media is simple: Choose your words wisely. Avoid using racial or ethnic terms, references to religion, or verbiage that is exclusive of people with disabilities or limitations based on familial status. Or be extra cautious by avoiding describing individuals altogether. Instead, use welcoming language that describes your community and why it is the best place to live!

With these tools in hand, yours can be a Fair Housing-friendly community, in person and on social media.